U of U authors are prolific and the library strives to support U of U book authors by ensuring their works are in the collection. We also want every book to find its reader. This blog post series highlights some of the new books written or created by U of U authors this year. All are available from Marriott Library.

This time we’re highlighting Seeing Red: Nintendo’s Virtual Boy” by Division of Games professor Jose Zagal. What follows is an interview with him highlighting his experiences as both a professor and an author.

Briefly introduce yourself and your work (how long have you been at the U of U, what do you study, etc?)

I’m Jose Zagal, I’m originally from Chile and I’ve been involved in the scholarly study of games for over 20 years now. I’ve been teaching games for almost as long too. I’ve been at the U for 11 years now as faculty with the then Entertainment Arts & Engineering program (now the Division of Games).

What inspires you to write?

I like doing research. For me, research is trying to answer a question or solve a problem. It often starts with an observation in the form of a question – “Isn’t it weird that….?” this is often followed up with “I wonder who else has been thinking about this”, and from there it’s down the rabbit hole. Additionally, writing is often the same as thinking for me. So, I might have an idea and by writing about it I clarify my idea, revise it, realize that it makes no sense or develop and refine it further.

What is your book about?

My book “Seeing Red: Nintendo’s Virtual Boy,” is co-authored with tech-historian Benj Edwards, and examines Nintendo’s Virtual Boy platform through the lens of platform studies. The platform, released in 1995, provided players with a unique (at the time) 3D stereoscopic play experience. We look at how the Virtual Boy is a part of a long tradition of experimentation with new ways of looking at things for fun and entertainment. We also focus on analyzing its technical capabilities, its distinct visual aesthetic—the “layered diorama”—and the reasons for its commercial failure, including consumer confusion about its identity as a platform and its perception as a “gimmick”. Finally we explore the activities of the Virtual Boy fan community and how they work towards realizing the platform’s unrealized potential. Ultimately, we provide a comprehensive look at the Virtual Boy’s place within video game history and entertainment media in general.

What’s it like to be an author at the U of U?

It’s hard. To find the time to write, I mean. But, I’m happy to have had the support of my colleagues in the Division of Games!